Prije poznata kao polovica projekta Sleepingdog (na roškofreniji vidi ovdje), sad je pod svojim imenom objavila jedan od najboljih ovogodišnjih albuma u kategoriji krhko-ranjivo.
180g heavyweight LP comes in a beautiful matte finished sleeve with
black inner paper sleeve stamped with the Gizeh logo. CD is housed in a 6
panel matte finished digifile sleeve.
Currently based in Belgium, Dutch-born Chantal Acda (b. 1978) has
worked under the Sleepingdog moniker since 2006, making three acclaimed
albums that closed on the ‘With Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts
in the Fields’ (2010) album for which she collaborated with Adam Wiltzie
(Stars of the Lid, A Winged Victory For The Sullen). They toured the UK
and Benelux with Low in 2011. After all this, it was time for her
first real solo record. Playing in various formations had made her
conscious of the patterns that we all, as humans, share in. So, she
sought out kindred spirits with whom she might record an album filled
with freedom and intensity, and who were conscious of the patterns we so
often fall back on.
Nils Frahm was the first of these to cross her path. The inventive
German pianist and producer is an intense and adventurous performer and
was a perfect match for this project. Acda also experienced a direct
bond with Peter Broderick, a multi-instrumentalist known from his solo
work (on labels such as Bella Union and Erased Tapes) and from his work
with, among others, Efterklang. Cellist extraordinaire Gyda
Valtysdottir from Icelandic group Múm had previously worked with Chantal
as a member of the Sleepingdog live band. And lastly, Shahzad Ismaily
stumbled into this picture by chance, but when Acda and he found
themselves in the same room they formed an instant rapport.
The circle completed, Acda had found the 4 worlds that would enable
her to record the album in full freedom. Power revealed through
vulnerability. Nils Frahm, who plays throughout the record, also took
on the role of producer. What began as a journey ended as this
wonderful record - one wherein the five musicians were able to find
their place and, together, and with great warmth, tell their nine-song
story. ‘Let your hands be my guide’. - gizehrecords.limitedrun.com/
Though billed as her first ‘real solo record’ (following a trio of
softly sumptuous slowcore releases under the Sleepingdog moniker),
Chantal Acda’s Let Your Hands Be My Guide comes courtesy of a
raft of esteemed collaborators, including composers Nils Frahm and Peter
Broderick and Múm cellist Gyda Valtysdottir – all figures
well-practiced in the subtle-yet-soaring arts in which Acda is
specialist.
Her unhurried compositions aren’t afraid to fade to near-silence,
exhibiting such gentle poise that listeners would be forgiven for
nodding off mid-song – not a charge of tedium, but an acknowledgement of
the lullaby effects of Acda’s refined songwriting, with minimalist
arrangements allowing her attractively light voice the muted spotlight.
Pushed for highlights one might identify the twinkling ether of My Night
or the duet at the core of Arms up High, but it’s as a delicate whole
that Let Your Hands… conveys its true gossamer beauty. - Chris Buckle
Sometimes there is no more powerful music than
that marked by delicacy, quietude, and understatement. Look no further
than Chantal Acda's Let Your Hands Be My Guide as proof, for
it's one of the most beautiful recordings issued this year. Ably
supported by Nils Frahm, Peter Broderick, Gyda Valtysdottir, and Shahzad
Ismaily, the Belgium-based, Dutch-born Acda (who has recorded under the
Sleepingdog moniker since 2006) has released a collection that in
certain moments is so lovely it verges on overwhelming.
All of those would-be Aguilera clones would be
wise to take a lesson from Acda if they really hope to one day become
authentic singers. Singing in a manner thankfully free of embellishment
and affectation, Acda makes the strongest argument possible for an
unadorned style. In fact, her voice, so pure and natural in its
delivery, is such a pleasure to listen to, the recording would probably
still be wonderful had it been wholly stripped of instrumentation.
Lyrically, the songs tackle their subject matter allusively and
impressionistically—no overwrought emoting for Acda—in a poetic way that
fits the music, given that it's equally allusive. But, truth be told,
it's easy for the lyrical content to become secondary when one is swept
away by the material's sonic entrancement.
Instrumentation is used sparingly, with piano,
guitar (acoustic and electric), glockenspiel, and strings gently woven
into the songs' arrangements. Frahm's restrained piano playing is a
marvel throughout, while Valtysdottir's graceful cello playing is nicely
featured within “Own Time.” If there's any justice in the world, other
artists will be seeking out Frahm to produce their own recordings, given
how integral his participation is to the success of Acda's project, and
Broderick is used effectively, too. His natural singing proves to be a
wonderful complement to Acda's own, and hearing their voices pair up
during the lilting “We Will, We Must” makes for one of the album's most
stirring moments. Even better, however, is “Arms Up High,” a stately and
ravishing piece—arguably the album's emotional peak—crowned by a
gorgeous vocal duet from Broderick and Acda.
Only once does the instrumental palette
deviate from the natural into the conspicuously electronic, which occurs
during the closing song, “We Must Hold On.” Yet even this synth-pop
reverie proves to be as affecting as the others, especially when its
tone is that of blissful reverie. Surrendering to the song's pleasures,
one starts to imagine how the album's other songs might sound were they
to be recast in similar synth-pop fashion. Add it all up and the result
is forty-four mesmerizing minutes and a triumphant album that can't be
recommended too highly. - textura.org
A fountain, consisting of tranquil, fragile melodies, sprinkles a
thousand plucked notes into the sky. In the unhurried air, they flirt
beside tranquil, feather-light lyrics that speak poetically of romance
and tragedy. The music of Chantal Acdais deep; deeply
moving, sensitive to the slightest touch and brimming with emotion. Her
music is a romantic promise; the notes cuddle up to a loved one after a
long, disappointing day, barely letting out a breath as it snuggles up,
close to you. Her passion for music expresses itself fully at the sound
of every note. Note by note, she breaks the silence with her softly
spoken song, lifting up the music on a vocal wing.
“Jason” is a smooth start, and the scented melodies become even more
delectable with every passing second. Chantal Acda has been musically
active for years under her Sleepingdog alias. Her last – 2011′s With Our Heads In The Clouds and Our Hearts In The Fields - saw her create another gorgeous album, collaborating with SoTL member Adam Wiltzie. Her solo album, Let Your Hands Be My Guide,
loses a lot of the processed drones and instead chooses to sedate the
listener with her gently daubed melodies and finger-led chordal
patterns. Chantal Acda has perfected the art of the singer/songwriter.
She must be the kind of songwriter who continuously re-arranges her
lyrics and chords, because every syllable blazes her fiery passion for
music.
“My Night” is Heaven on Earth. It is an intimate, moon-lit serenade,
lovely in its nature. Every chord progression is a delicate movement in a
beautiful dance. “Arms Up High”, with its alluring arpeggio, adds some
intriguing notes and bright colours to ward off the nightly shade. Nils
Frahm and Peter Broderick join in, but it is Acda’s guitar that romances
the listener.
The additional musicians never dampen the intimacy, although some may
view it as a lurking danger. In the context of the record, the
instruments add a little extra depth and variation – not to mention some
studio sheen – to what is already a polished album. Everything aligns
to perfection, as if it were a stunning solar eclipse, brandishing
beauty into the pupils of the eye. Acda’s light vocals and lambent
strings shine through the darker, wan tones. In some ways, it would be
nice to see a pure, live recording, just Chantal and her acoustic guitar
for company, where notes ring true; a nude, vulnerable beauty, in the
flesh as the instrument originally intended. Let Your Hands Be My Guide retains its purity and purpose and is an intimate performance.
The first real sighting of the deeper drone surfaces on “Lost”, and
as Chantal sings, the evocation of deep anguish and separation
increases, until the drone is left tugging at its nearest interval. It needs
its closest love, reaching out desperate, open hands for its
resolution, which it finds at the end of the chorus; the lost becomes
found. On “Wintercoat”, the piano becomes the security when the safe
comfort of reliability falls away. Loose leaves are broken and scattered
from their parent tree. Similarly, Acda and her guitar find themselves
divorced, a breakaway so rare that it hurts. The piano is lovely, tinted
with a thoughtful melancholy that is ultimately appreciative. Ending on
an uplifting note, “We Must Hold On” showers itself with major
arpeggios that cry out the victory of love.
Chantal leads you by the hand, down her path of poetry, with stories
that cling to love, enchanted by its possibilities. Love, set to music,
sounds like this. Let your hands be my guide, let the music be your love
song. - James Catchpole
*New on Gizeh, features production and contributions from Nils Frahm,
Peter Broderick and members of Mum* "Currently based in Belgium,
Dutch-born Chantal Acda has worked under the Sleepingdog moniker since
2006, making three albums that closed on the "With Our Heads in the
Clouds and Our Hearts in the Fields" album for which she collaborated
with Adam Wiltzie (Stars of the Lid, A Winged Victory For The Sullen).
After all this, it was time for her first real solo record and she
sought out kindred spirits with whom she might record an album filled
with freedom and intensity, and who were conscious of the patterns we so
often fall back on. Nils Frahm was the first of these to cross her
path. Acda also experienced a direct bond with Peter Broderick, a
multi-instrumentalist known from his solo work (on labels such as Bella
Union and Erased Tapes) and from his work with, among others,
Efterklang. Cellist extraordinaire Gyda Valtysdottir from Icelandic
group Mum had previously worked with Chantal as a member of the
Sleepingdog live band. And lastly, Shahzad Ismaily stumbled into this
picture by chance, but when Acda and he found themselves in the same
room they formed an instant rapport. The circle completed, Acda had
found the 4 worlds that would enable her to record the album in full
freedom. Power revealed through vulnerability. Nils Frahm, who plays
throughout the record, also took on the role of producer. What began as a
journey ended as this wonderful record - one wherein the five musicians
were able to find their place and, together, and with great warmth,
tell their nine-song story. Let your hands be my guide." - boomkat
Belgijska pjevačica Chantal Acda i Adam Wiltzie(polovica benda Stars of The Lid) rade onu vrstu muzike u kojoj se divan glas uvlači klaviru u dušu i vadi mu kosti.Usporeno, kao kad u slow motionu metak pogađa kap kiše. (S Craigom Wardom Chantal radi nešto slično u projektu True Bypass.) streaming: Gizeh Records
Sleepingdog is the collaborative moniker of Belgian singer-songwriter
Chantal Acda and hallowed drone-God Adam Wiltzie of Stars of the Lid.
'With Our Heads In The Clouds and Out Hearts In The Fields' is their
third album together, and probably the most successful blend to date of
Acda's introverted songs and Wiltzie's instantly recognizable drones.
They manage to rope in a couple of collaborators too in the shape of
Touch artist and cellist Hildur Gudnadottir and violinist Chester
Diamond, and this orchestral lilt adds just the right amount of levity
to an already beautiful selection of songs. I suppose there is hardly a
shortage of singer/songwriters willing to allow their pieces to be
tampered with these days, but the sublime subtlety of Sleepingdog is
what instantly sets it apart from the competition. Wiltzie's distinctly
cinematic touch is evident from the first notes, and the glorious
haunted palate that made 'Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid' so appealing
is evident immediately. Juxtaposed with Acda's breathy vocals we get
something unexpected; I never listened to Stars of the Lid thinking that
the sounds could be successfully re-framed as pop music, but here it
is. Sure there are none of the bells and whistles you might expect from
the latest Taylor Swift single, but this is such deeply memorable stuff,
and more importantly focuses on real songs. It's just that the songs
have a little more weight to them than usual, and like Sigur Ros before
it, the texture and depth is what will have you coming back for more
again and again. Gorgeous. - boomkat
The
typically long and some may say pretentious title marks this out as one
of those certain to have appeal amongst the Sigur Ros brigade. The music
is heartfelt, swooning at times, based around beautiful piano motifs,
church organs and reverberated strings which build elegantly and
expertly. Acda's voice is a pleasure too, with a charming naive way of
singing which perhaps comes from the English as second language
syndrome. The surprise really is despite the background of those
involved the album at times is rather straight laced. The songs are
generally straightforward with not too much in the way of
experimentation or anything really to grab the ear. There are several
moments of sublime ambient beauty particularly on 'Horse Lullaby' which
with its rich organ textures, sub bass and gorgeous strings, possibly
the closest this album gets to the textural minimalist approach of Stars
of the Lid. More moments like this would have significantly more appeal
than the twinkling piano and voice of some of their more sugary
efforts. That, said however, this stuff sells in bucket loads so if you
are a fan of Sigur Ros or any of their Icelandic counterparts, or a
Stars of The Lid nut this is a must buy. - Norman Records
Now here's a brilliant idea: take Stars of the Lid's
Adam Wiltzie, with all of the production and compositional promise that
that brings with it, and pair him with chanteuse Chantal Acda, who
contributes beautiful vocalizing and a well-honed song sensibility, and
what results is a stunning collection of electronic-folk balladry called
With Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts in the Fields. The two first collaborated on the last track, “The Struggle,” of Wiltzie's 2004 release The Dead Texan (kranky), before formalizing their Sleepingdog partnership on Naked in a Clean Bed (Zeal, 2006) and Polar Life (Gizeh/Zeal, 2008) prior to this third album's creation.
Placing the album's longest song first is a
bold move but in this case one that pays off handsomely. “Untitled
Ballad of You and Me” is buoyed by a simple yet haunting theme first
voiced by piano alone and then paired with Acda's fragile, tremulous
voice. In fact, the music proves so alluring, you may find yourself hard
pressed to remember what she's singing about, so transfixing is the
material on purely sonic grounds. A key change finds the song moving
from initial moments of uplift into a slightly darker section dominated
by organ and multi-tracked vocals before reverting back to the sparse
piano-and-vocals arrangement with which it began. Of course there are
other sounds present too, yet they're woven so seamlessly into the
overall fabric they're sometimes easy to miss. In a typical song, vocals
and keyboards, piano especially, inhabit the foreground, while acoustic
guitar, strings (courtesy of cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir and violinist
Chester Desmond), and subtle atmospheric embellishments flesh out the
painterly background.
Like the first song, “It Leaves Us Silent”
pairs its gorgeous vocal and piano melody presented together, while what
sounds like a mellotron—with all of the King Crimson and Moody Blues
associations it brings with it—provides powerfully evocative backing. A
similarly affecting melodic quality elevates “He Loved to See the World
Through His Camera,” a song that finds Wiltzie's voice in a rare moment
shadowing Acda's, and the slow-burning anthem “Scary Movie.” Her voice
becomes a mere whisper alongside wavering long tones during “Kitten
Plays the Harmony Rocket,” an ambient setting whose title and style
comes closest of all the album's tracks to resembling a Stars of the Lid
composition. The album's title is well-chosen, given how much its
material combines the ethereal and the emotional into a haunting,
forty-three-minute collection that ends up sounding both earthy and
heavenly. Though it's early in the year, one might anticipate seeing Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts in the Fields on at least a few year-end 'best of' lists.- textura.org/
Once upon a time in the days of the Belgian Franc, Chantal Acda made
the acquaintance Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie, and the two became fast friends
through a mutual love of disco bowling, and 1970's Danish scary movies.
They first collaborated with vocals together on the infamous last
track, 'The Struggle' on Mr. Wiltzie's 2004 'The Dead Texan' (kranky)
Now, over the course of 10 years, this strange friendship has slowly
developed into a musical collaboration which at this point is a rarity
for Mr. Wiltzie, because of his notorious slow burning output for his
deservedly or unlawfully, but undeniably legendary Stars of the Lid.
For their new release, 'With Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts
in the Fields', these two have somehow gone back in time to capture the
sound of glacial moving, dark cough syrup pop music. Mr. Wiltzie has
manipulated his trademark Stars of the Lid sound of haunting ambience,
deconstructing, and funneling it through the beautiful voice, and song
compositions of Chantal Acda. Together, Sleepingdog have gently abducted
these gaseous tones, and choruses of pacific tree frogs into some
beautifully crafted melancholic orchestration that reminds us all that
we exist in a world of strangers, drifting only two feet apart. - www.gizehstore.com/
With Our Heads In The Clouds And Our Hearts In The Fields is the third album from duo Sleepingdog. The group, which sees the pairing of Stars of the Lid member Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie and Chantal Acda who is one half of True Bypass, offer songs that take on an unusual pop formula.
From the offset this approach is clear, with the more experimental intuition of Wiltzie’s past compositions providing an avant-garde backdrop to Acda’s intimate vocals. On Untitled Ballad of You and Me,
the droned chords of an electronic keyboard are gradually supported by
some minimalist piano play. Later strings and organ also join the
proceedings, working to assist the sharp processed lyrics that Acada emits. On He Loved to See the World Through His Camera, Acda’s
tonality is at its melodic best with uplifting and evocative notes
resonating deeply within the listener. This experience is enhanced by
manipulated and bass heavy strings which, when bowed create a heavy
atmosphere around the vocals. The track also includes plucked strings to
add an additional layer of sound to this texturally rich creation.
Elsewhere, Scary Movie also comes as a recommended track. One here presumes the title of the song refers to Witlzie and Acada’s shared
love for Dutch horror movies from the ‘70s. Once again it is a gentle
piano accompaniment that supports the vocals with strings often arriving
to provide a greater dimension to the overall score.
With guest support from Hildur Gudnadottir on cello and Chester Desmond on violin, With Our Heads In The Clouds And Our Hearts In The Fields is an album built by a pool of expert sound crafters. In addition, the two central performers, Witlzie and Acada,
ensure that their experimental desires do not interfere with creating
an accessible auditory experience for the listener. The result is pop
music with an ambient twist and one that should appeal to fans and new
listeners alike.
- Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio
Sleepingdog is hardly the face of modern day indie, but they have still
managed to make quite an impact on those who have experienced their
music. Pure, elegant, and breathtaking were all words used to describe
2008’s Polar Life, an album that intrigued listeners in search of
something they could truly get lost in. Its simple but mesmerizing
formula was the work of artists with true ambition; artists who were in
tune with their own dreams as much as the demands of their listeners.
As could be expected, Polar Life ended up being a rewarding and
satisfying experience on both ends. The band’s newest effort follows in
the footsteps of its predecessor, carrying its fans on a spiritual
odyssey that will truly leave their heads in clouds of abstractness and
their hearts in earthy fields of poetic aspiration.
One of With Our Heads in the Clouds & Our Hearts in the Fields’
most enjoyable attributes is Adam Wiltzie’s awe-inspiring soundscapes,
which seem to guide the course for Chantal Acda’s entrancing vocals.
The songs are mostly piano driven, with an ice-tinged feel that give the
record a lifeless, detached feeling. Occasionally strings, horns,
synthesizers, and other accessories are added into the mix to achieve a
heightened sense of emotion. However, it is this keyboard-driven
ambience that defines With Our Heads in the Clouds, much like it did Polar Life
a few years back. The soft, supple arrangements and electronic
inclusions contribute to a natural flow within the album that makes it
quite the cohesive work – with nary a forced or artificial moment to
break up the magic created by string after string of beautiful, almost
celestial, atmospheres. Despite With Our Heads in the Clouds’
capabilities to contain a vast scope within itself, its overall sound
achieves intimacy rather than expansiveness. By utilizing a minimalist
approach to achieve a sense of calm still, the album is strikingly
reminiscent of an afternoon spent lazily staring out the window while
droplets of water collect on the outside edge of the sill. Strictly
from an instrumental perspective, one might compare this album’s
soundscape to Sigur Ros, with tracks like the opening ‘Untitled Ballad
of You and Me’ showing us what would happen if ( )’s ‘Untitled
3’ was toned down and given vocals to add (or take away, depending on
your perspective) from the song’s emotional impact. From front to back,
though, With Our Heads in the Clouds & Our Hearts in the Fields is an album of riveting instrumental arrangements and emotionally charged atmospheres.
Chantal Acda’s vocal contributions are no small triumph either, serving
as both a means for the listener to relate lyrically to the music as
well as providing angelic melodies that permeate Wiltzie’s already
poignant soundscapes. The breathy, optimistic ‘It Leaves Us Silent’ is a
prime example of Acda’s ability to take a simple instrumental
foundation and turn it into a haunting masterpiece. The closing ‘Scary
Movie’ offers up a spacey atmosphere that gives Chantal plenty of room
to work with, as she gives one of her most impressive vocal performances
to date. The gentle caress of her voice ends the album on an
impressive note - even though its downtrodden, depressing aura may leave
you feeling shattered instead of elated. As a whole, Sleepingdog once
again manages to intertwine Acda’s vocals with a wealth of stunning
soundscapes that make With Our Heads in the Clouds & Our Hearts in the Fields an album worthy of both critical and fan-based acclaim. The album is not a very far walk away from Polar Life,
which may disappoint those who were hoping for a departure that was
equally as brilliant. Sure, there are some minor tweaks – notably the
drop in aura to something less uplifting and more brooding/serious – but
for the most part Sleepingdog holds their course steady. Despite this
minor complaint, it is difficult to find fault with what the band has
created here. It may be similar stylistically, but that doesn’t make it
any less captivating to the ears that it will so effortlessly grace.
With their latest LP, Sleepingdog has once again created an album that
will haunt our ears, engage our minds, and ultimately embrace our
hearts. - SowingSeason
"Along with the unembellished musical accompaniment from Hildur
Gudnadottir and Chester Desmond on cello and violin respectively, it is
the vocals provided by Acda that successfully colour With Our Heads...'s
hazy soundscape, her icy and yet somehow sweet falsetto injecting both a
heavenly appeal and cold isolation to the transcendental climes.
However while the mood and tempo endure this could lead to the recording
being deemed as as light in substance as it is in acoustics. Though
frankly it succeeds for this subdued feeling with which it hypnotises.
Drifting and dreamy and teaming, once again, a talented, if niche pair
together." SUBBA CULTCHA
"nothing is over done or added unnecessarily resulting in a touching serenity overall." FUTURE SEQUENCE
"It's not often music so quiet and seemingly understated has the
capacity to envelop the listener's mind so completely within a matter of
a couple of minutes, prompting them - quite unwittingly - to stop
everything and simply listen, mouth half-open, rapt by the sheer beauty
of the sound." 9/10 WHISPERIN & HOLLERIN
Sleepingdog is the recording alias of Belgian songwriter and vocalist
Chantal Acda, who teams up with Adam Wiltzie of Stars Of The Lid and
Dead Texan fame for a wonderfully understated album, filled with emotive
slowcore and quietly epic orchestrations. As you'd probably hope,
Wiltzie seems to have carried over from Stars Of The Lid his ability to
make rich string arrangements and electronic ambience seem unassuming
and miniaturised, cradling Acda's songs wonderfully throughout the
album. By anyone's measure this is an unusual singer-songwriter
exercise, taking focus away from the usual guitar and vocals setup,
instead situating synthesizers, mellotron and vibraphonette at the heart
of the record. Opening piece 'Prophets' sets out Sleeping Dog's stall
nicely, condensing a seemingly expansive instrumental arsenal into a
home-recorded setting without anything sounding awry. You'll find other
pieces - such as the title track - confining themselves to rather
brittle electronic palettes, but at its most rewarding the album will
suddenly open up, as on the sublime closing song 'If Only', which
embraces more three-dimensional dynamics with piano keys ringing out
more assuredly than on previous, occasionally rather timid tracks; they
combine rousingly with drawn-out string tones and breathily uttered
vocals. Highly recommended. - boomkat
Life is beautiful. Sometimes if you wake up early enough you can see the
sun’s face slowly peek over the horizon. Not when it’s warm or
anything, but when it adds that sort of color to the world. A brilliant
gold. And when those friendly tendrils stretch through that blanket of
fog, illuminating, exposing little particles of nature you wouldn’t have
noticed otherwise. That’s the feeling. Dew, spherical, chilly, biting
your feet. Long grass reaching up to shake your hand. Too good to be
true, although, you know it is. Flinching as you pinch yourself, you’re
still there. The horrid part about life is that it eventually withers
and dies. For sure you’d be the happiest person on earth if you could
live in this moment among the wildlife. Life doesn’t work like that
though. One day you will be nothing but fertilizer for everything you
see before you, you fear it, it haunts you.
Like you’re stranded on an iceberg, floating, simply existing. Going
nowhere. Blue-green water slops up at you, but you ignore it. The sky is
black except for a sliver of the moon that sits on the water in front
of you, taunting you. As far as you know there is nothing else, nobody
to help you, nothing to comfort you. You don’t eat, you don’t sleep, you
don’t love, you don’t feel. You just know. The darkness begs that you
plunge into the water, breaking its mirror-like surface. Despite much
struggle, the iceberg doesn’t let you go. It hasn’t ever let anything
go. It hates that you’ve been somewhere other than this place, the
Otherworld. It hates earth, all the joy, sorrow, pain, caring, and love
that have been produced there. These feelings are not mutual.
Just like last night you awake with a fright. The bed has all the signs
of a fragmented yet deep sleep. Drool on the snow-white pillowcase,
blankets thrown in a heap at the foot of the bed, and the sheets have
come undone and have skillfully wrapped themselves around an arm. It
might be yours but it’s almost as alien as the iceberg. Dried salt is
still crusted to your face, crying should probably be removed from your
nightly ritual. If only forgetfulness were an option. Another day
begins, another dollar to be made. Skipping work sounds like a good
idea, but in the end slavery to orthodoxy prevails. Next week is
vacation though, which means only one thing. Time to stop, watch the
sunrise, and take time to think: Life is beautiful.- Luke Rhinehart
Chantal Acda has been performing and recording under the name
Sleepingdog since 2006. 'Polar Life' is her second album following her
debut 'Naked in a Clean Bed' which was released on Zeal back in 2006. On
both these records Chantal has worked with Adam Wiltzie (Stars of the
Lid/Dead Texan). Adam has become an essential part of the music,
bringing his trademark soundscapes and strings into the songs and
handling production duties. Wiltzie suggested to select for 'Polar Life'
only those songs in which beats are all but absent, so the subdued
pureness and the unity of the atmosphere of the album go beyond the
limits of New-Folk and Folktronica. The fitful climate and the
fairy-like atmosphere of Iceland remains a great source of inspiration
for the music of Sleepingdog. Thus the poem 'Nú hverfur sól í haf' by
the Icelandic author and poet Sigurbjörn Einarsson was used as a
starting point for the track 'The Sun sinks in the Sea'. For the first
time a cover appears on a Sleepingdog album: 'If Only' by Sophia, a song
that was already popular when sung live. Previous to Sleepingdog,
Chantal recorded under her own name to release 'Dreamy Yell' in 1999
before moving from her nativeNetherlands to Belgium. In 2003 her new
band Chacda released 'La Sortie' and toured the UK with Lambchop.
Chantal has also shared stages with the likes of Calexico, Okkervil
River, Iron & Wine and Daniel Johnston. A recent UK tour with
Glissando was incredibly well received. "It's hard to put a label on
this music. Is it Dreamy Nu Folk, Folktronica or just singer-songwriting
after the finest traditions of Mitchell, Ian, Denny et al? To be honest
though, a label isn't really necessary when the quality of the songs
and performance are such as this, just enjoy." (Echoes and Dust) "Quiet
is the new loud. Possibly. Anyway, there's an almost complete lack of
any percussion, as minimal acoustic soundscapes swirl around Chantal
Acda's quavering, vulnerable voice. There are suggestions of Mazzy Star,
Stina Nordenstam and even Bjork at her very, very quietest. There's
even a banjo on one song. Awesome." (Die Shellsuit Die) - (Sophia) Norman Records
It’s a rare delight when music completely unknown to you pops
out of thin air to become one of your favorite releases of the year. Not
that I intend to give away the ending of this review or anything.
Like most music of genuine quality, the sound of Polar Life is
a tricky one to define easily. The lead is taken by either piano and
acoustic guitar (although sometimes both are used), while a minimalist
approach to backing of sparse electronics and strings serves to
complement the sound without ever crowding the mix away from a familiar
closeness.
Sleepingdog work a delicate tracery of gently revolving notes, an
almost Broadrick-esque centrifugal pull of repetition that focuses on
tight melodic songs that rarely outstay their welcome. The vocals float
on top of the mix, never quite becoming an ethereal shoegaze echo but
drifting over the piano and guitar like fine mist.
To these ears, the songs that focus on the use of the piano as a main
instrument are the superior tunes on the record. This is particularly
true at the beginning of the album, where the likes of “Prophets,” “Your
Eyes,” and “The Sun Sinks In The Sea” lull you into a soft bliss.
However, a distinct sense of ubiquity is ever-present and gives the
listener the impression that all the songs could quite easily have been
written on either instrument. All the material on Polar Life
comes across as simple – I don’t mean that in any derogatory sense, or
to imply that there isn’t a strongly developed sense of songcrafting on
here. What I mean is that there is an element of purity to the material,
an inherent gentleness that permeates each track..
At times it feels that more may have been made of the backing
instrumentation (in particular I’d love to hear what could be done with
incorporating more electronic elements), and there is something of a
classic mid-album slump bookended by the finer material. There is no
particular punch or vigor to the music, but in all honesty that's
something Sleepingdog is better off without anyway. If you're after
something beautiful to lay across your ear canal on a pleasant Spring
morning, you could do a hell of a lot worse than this.
— Matt T.
“a beautifully conceived and touchingly faint and tender ten track
suite. Both bewitching and impeccably elegant, Acda and Wiltzie have
crafted a rare thing of unfailing beauty that manages to simultaneously
hurt, humble, heal and seduce. These winter worn fancies delightfully
caress and enchant, like fading memories captured in celluloid they are
tinged and dispatched with a timeless aura, the melodies classically
trod - sensual, sensitive, sparse and scenic though bitter sweetly
forlorn in their woven intimacy to provide an achingly fragile and
beguiling backdrop for Acda’s shyly recluse and retiring like alluring
intonations - none more so is the case than on the captivating and
hymnal like ‘the sun sinks in the sea‘.”
LOSING TODAY
“Some music is quiet, no matter how loud you turn it up. Quiet is the
new loud. Possibly. Anyway, there's an almost complete lack of any
percussion, as minimal acoustic soundscapes swirl around Chantal Acda's
quavering, vulnerable voice. There are suggestions of Mazzy Star, Stina
Nordenstam and even Bjork at her very, very quietest. There's even a
banjo on one song. Awesome.” DSD
“‘Polar Life’, like the work of Nico circa ‘Desertshore’ and ‘The
Marble Index’, or the cabin-folk of Bon Iver, speaks of solitude and
emotional twilight, and should speak to the hearts of the beautifully
glum.” PENNYBLACK
Chantal Acda (Sleepingdog, Isbells, Chacda) and Craig Ward (The Love
Substitutes, iH8 Camera, A Clean Kitchen Is A Happy Kitchen, ex-dEUS and
Kiss My Jazz) first met onboard an aeroplane bound for Glasgow. Later
that evening they performed together onstage which speaks volumes about
the spontaneous and intuitive character of the pair, who felt from the
beginning that there was something unique in the air whenever they
picked up their acoustic guitars.
Two sensitive souls who, automatically and without planning, started writing songs together, acoustic and pure.
Whether in a farmhouse attic in Hoegaarden, a bedroom in Portland,
Oregon, or a studio in Mechelen, the songs kept coming. It was apparent,
during recording sessions and live shows, that something special was
happening - songs would emerge direct and unpolished from the heart, as
True Bypass.
The debut album True Bypass was released in Benelux and the UK by
Jezus Factory and distributed by Bertus in the Benelux and Shellshock in
the UK.-www.gizehstore.com/
First meeting on an airplane bound for Glasgow, Chantal Acda (Sleepingdog, Chacda) and Craig Ward
(The Love Substitutes, iH8 Camera, dEUS) performed together onstage
later that same evening, showing just how spontaneous and intuitive this
duo can be. They have since formed a new, collaborative project and
named it True Bypass. Their debut album is out on Sept. 15th on the Jezus Factory label. They currently reside in Antwerp, Belgium.
There is a fragile honesty to True Bypass. While mainly
simple-structured acoustic songs, the vocals and the other sparse
instrumentation have a hyper-real, manipulated feeling, giving the album
much more than your normal singer-songwriter vibe. Think of the simple,
but highly produced sound of This Mortal Coil crossed with the
integrity of Vincent Gallo’s album “When.” The album was mastered by Uwe
Teichert, who’s work with bands like Placebo and dEUS (as well as
Public Enemy!) would explain the open but intimate sound the album
maintains. Chantal Acda’s vocals wander dangerously close to precious at
times, but she never becomes sappy or sugary, and in the end leaves the
listener with the sense of a close friend singing them softly to sleep.
Nina Nastasia and the Innocence Mission would be good points of
reference for this, both in tone and sound. When Craig Ward offers his
quiet harmony, it seems natural and immediate. This is a delicate and
personal album that I am glad to have had the chance to share with these
musicians. And it feels just like that. Like I am sharing these songs
with the duo that wrote them, possibly just for me.
